Dragon Skin
by Wild Cat 214
Summary: It has been 15 years since Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast were defeated. Now, Hiccup and Astrid have had a few kids of their own, including a rather Hiccup-y one named Asken. This is the story of how he met the girl of his dreams in a very unexpected way.
1. Prologue: Dreamtime

**Ta dah! My first published fanfic. I fell so happy. *tear rolls down face* Ahem. *tells self to get it together* Please enjoy Dragon Skin!**

Asken had no idea what he was doing in the cove. He had never thought of it as a special place, even if his parents did say it was. To him, it was just another part of Berk. The light of the sunset was making it glow golden. 'I gotta admit, it is pretty here.' 'Isn't it?' He turned. A girl was sitting behind him on a log. She had snow white hair with streaks of black and pale blue eyes. Her face was delicate, and she was just as thin as Asken, the current "Hiccup" of the village. She was dressed in a blue tunic, with leather wristbands and straps crisscrossing her chest. They began at small silver plates on her shoulders and the top of her wrists and wrapped around her torso. A creamy fur cape was attached at these plates and went down to her waist. A black skirt thing was held up with another disc, and was over a pair of red leggings. She had brown leather boots trimmed with the same creamy fur. She stared at him curiously. 'What?' 'Who are you?' 'I'm Vera. Aloe Vera. Nice to meet you, um…' 'Asken. Asken Haddock.' 'Like the fish?' 'Yeah…' 'Don't worry. I love fish. Especially when they're grilled and then lightly buttered and seasoned…mmm. I'm getting hungry just dreaming about it.' 'So this is a-' 'Yes, this is a dream. Why else would you be here?' 'So are you just a figment of my imagination?' 'No. You see, I have a friend who is helping me contact you.' 'How?' 'Right now, we're in the realm of Dreamtime. It's similar to Niflheim, but the living and the dead can meet there without crossing the Bifrost.' 'Does that mean we're dead?' 'No. If either of us was dead, we'd be able to tell.' 'How?' 'The dead can't appear as they were before they died.' 'Which means?' 'The dead can only appear as how they died. If you died from an axe, you would have the weapon or the wound visible in Dreamtime.' 'Ugh.' 'Yeah, well, it's not the most disgusting thing. My great aunt died by getting hacked to pieces.' 'Would not want to meet her here.' She nodded in agreement and got off of the log. Aloe walked up to him and started circling him slowly. 'Asken, I need your help.' 'Why? Why me, I mean?' 'Because you are the only one who can get inside the citadel.' 'Citadel?' 'There isn't much time. Follow the setting sun. It will take you where you need to go.' She began to ripple like water and vanish. 'Wait! Go where?!'

**Sorry it's short. But don't worry, there'll be more to come! Till then, Wild Cat 214, out!**


	2. Chapter 1: Asken Leaves

**I forgot to mention this last chapter, but please review! I would like to have your feedback so I can improve. Thanks for reading!**

When Asken woke up, he had no idea how he was going to persuade his dad to let him go find this girl. Hiccup was very overprotective, and sometimes this grated on Asken's nerves. Astrid was the greater of two evils, though. She could easily pick him up with one hand and scold him for doing something like dropping his helmet. At least Grandmother understood him. Valka had always treated him like an adult, even when he got in trouble. She listened to his side of the story, even though he was the middle child of three. His favorite thing about her was the fact that she had given him something rare for his 5th birthday: a Stormcutter egg from Cloudjumper's mate, Grayscale. It had hatched quite soon, and he had named the green baby Windchime. This was mostly because of the hatchling's fixation on the wind chime hanging from his window that Uncle Gobber had given him.

Asken walked out of his room in the huge household. Having several people and dragons living under one roof was too much for the old house, so they had decided to expand it, mostly by adding a few rooms. Windchime was already downstairs eating his breakfast of smoked salmon. The Stormcutter had grown a lot in the last nine years, and was almost as big as Cloudjumper. He crooned hello through a mouthful of fish. "Hey, Windchime. Enjoying your food?" He crooned in agreement. "Good. I'm going to go see dad about something. Be ready for anything." With that last statement, the usually laidback dragon became alert and sat up straight. "Good boy. If you hear the signal, get ready to fly." Windchime nodded, and a fish fell out of his mouth. Asken walked out, chuckling slightly as he tried to pick it back up (The dragon, not the human.). He walked into the Great Hall, passing by the statue of Stoick the Vast, his grandfather.

Asken didn't know why, but for some reason his father insisted on him having breakfast there, with the rest of the village. He sat down uneasily, surrounded by happy villagers, dragons, and irritating sisters. Said sisters were smiling deviously across from him. They were named Fazel and Barch, and they were some of the most annoying siblings in the world. Valka sat down next to him. "How nice of you to join us for breakfast, Asken. Tell me, why did you come? You usually eat with Windchime and then go flying around the island." "I need to talk to dad about something." "Is it important?" "I think it is. I don't know if he will, though." "Oh, Asken. You're just like dad. Always coming up with crazy ideas," Fazel said. She was older by one year, but she still acted like she was more mature than he was. "I'm sure he'd love to hear it. Hey, dad!" she called out to the man talking to some villagers. He turned, and came over. "What is it, Fazel?" "Asken has something he want to talk to you about." "Really? What?" Asken fidgeted under the scrutiny. "Can we talk in private? It's kind of crazy." "Sure. Come on." They walked outside to the hill near the Great Hall. Asken began pacing out of nervousness until Hiccup stopped him. "Just say it. It'll be easier than walking around." He took a deep breath, then let it go.

"Dad, I need to find someone." "Who?" "Okay, you'll probably think I'm crazy, but it's this girl from a dream I had." Hiccup stared at him. "Do you know where she is?" "Not exactly. She gave me a clue, but I have no idea what to do once I get there." "How do you know she even exists? Maybe it was just a weird dream." "But dad, I dreamt of the cove. I never do that." "So?" "I'm not exactly fond of the place. And besides, she seemed really familiar. Something about the way she acted." "I'm sorry, Asken, but no. You can't leave Berk. At least, not right now. Maybe when you're older and have more experience with Windchime." "But dad-" "No buts. I know it's hard for you, but believe me, it's for your own good." He walked back inside the Hall, and Asken sighed. He pulled himself together and ran back home. Windchime looked up as he ran past him up the stairs and into his room.

Asken knew that he had to leave. He spent the better part of the morning thinking up a way to do it. That girl needed his help, and he wasn't going to sit around doing nothing while she was being hurt, or worse. When he had his plan, he set to work planning for it.

Sunset on Berk. Such a beautiful time of day. And Asken's way out of here and on his quest. When that time rolled around, he was ready. And so was Windchime. He had explained to the Stormcutter that they were going to have a longer flight that night. He, being none the wiser, was geared up in his special saddle, the one his father had built for the long trips they would sometimes take. He had loaded it up with dried fish, bread, water, rope, and a few other necessities. Asken climbed on. He knew that he going for a flight at sunset was nothing unusual; his dad had passed on the habit. That and the fact that no one would expect him until dinnertime, which Gobber usually handled, for obvious reasons. They took off, and the only one to see him go was Gothi.

**Dun dun dun! What will my crazy, yet surprisingly evil, brain think of next? Tune in for the next installment of Dragon Skin.**


	3. Chapter 2: Family Traits

**Author's Note: Sorry about the late update. Got busy with school and family. Here's chapter 2! By the way, I forgot to mention this last time, but I only own my own characters. Everything else is Dreamworks's.**

Hiccup had barely set foot in the house before he was mobbed by women. Now, about 20 years ago, this would have been good, but now… He looked at Astrid. "What's wrong?" "Have you seen Asken? He hasn't come back yet." "No. I just got back from a meeting with Spitelout. He wanted to talk about the next dragon race." "Oh, this is bad. This is really bad." "Why?" "Show him the note, Fazel." His eldest child went up to him and showed him a piece of paper. Runes were written on it in Asken's handwriting. It said:

Dear family,

I am leaving to find the girl I spoke to dad about. I will not come home until I have found her and rescued her. Please forgive me.

Asken Alkaset Haddock, II

Gobber took one look at it and said, "Must run in the family." "What?" Hiccup said. "Stubbornness." Astrid and Valka chuckled while Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, very funny. But Asken is probably in danger and we need to find him. Astrid, gather the other riders. We're gonna need some help." "Right." She ran out the door to find everyone. "Mom, stay here and take care of the village and these two while we're gone." "Of course." He hugged her and Gobber and left. Toothless appeared right beside him. "Hey, bud. Ready for another adventure?" He crooned happily. "Good. Let's get to the others." They flew off, and Gothi watched.

The missing Haddock was busy flying toward the sunset. It took him awhile, but they finally made it to an island with a strange building on it. It looked like a huge stone house, big, blocky, orange in the fading light. He saw an empty beach close to it and directed Windchime to it. They landed, and Asken got off. "Go hide in those woods, boy. I'll whistle if I need you." The dragon nodded and flew into the green hiding place. Asken pulled out his dagger and walked toward the looming castle.

When Asken arrived at the stone building, he was amazed at how perfectly it was put together. Every stone was smooth; exactly the same size, and interlocked flawlessly. He knocked on the huge pair of wooden doors. They opened, and an old man looked outside. "Ah, we've been expecting you. Please, come in." Asken cautiously stepped into a vast hall. A long red carpet stretched down it and led to a circular atrium. Two rows of servants lined the carpet on each side. "This way," the old man said. He led him past the men and women and to a bedroom. "Please enjoy your stay." That being said, he turned and left. Asken entered the room. Inside, it was spacious and airy, with a comfy bed and a window overlooking a garden on the inside of the castle. He suddenly felt very sleepy and collapsed onto the bed.

He woke up in the garden he had seen. A fountain gurgled and birds sang cheerfully. He heard someone clear their throat and turned. Aloe was sitting on a white stone bench. She patted the space beside her, and he sat down next to her. 'I bet you're wondering why we're in Dreamtime,' she said casually. 'A little.' 'Because I have to warn you about the Puppeteer.' 'The Puppeteer?' 'He's the one who has imprisoned me. Asken, he's trying to trick you. Just remember, use your dagger to slash above their heads.' 'Whose heads?' 'Everyone's. He's not called the Puppet Master for no reason.' She stood up and went to the fountain. 'I wish I could tell you more. The longer we stay here, the sooner he'll realize what I'm doing.' As soon as she said that, they could hear a man cackling evilly. A statue of a man in a toga began to move toward her. It held her face then gripped her shoulder tightly. 'Oh, Aloe. Did you really think you were talking to this boy on your own? I let you slip your mental shackles.' Aloe's face had turned white with fear. 'Asken, your quest is futile. If you knew what this girl really was, well, you'd draw back in hate. She is not normal.' Asken stood up as well. 'Well, then. It's a good thing I'm not normal either.' A hammer appeared in his hands and he smashed the statue. 'Impossible! How could you be able to manipulate Dreamstuff?' the statue said before turning into dust and fading away. Aloe looked at him gratefully. 'Thank you, Asken, but now it's too dangerous to continue this dream. Just remember, cut above everyone's heads. Even if you don't think you should, do it!' she cried just before she fragmented and disappeared as well.

**Author's Note: So, what do you think? Please review, 'cause I want to get better. Just don't be rude. Remember the golden rule: If you don't want it done to you, then what makes you think others want it done to them?**


	4. Chapter 3: Puppets

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention this last chapter, but I have decided to make this a short story. I just can't do this as a longer story. Anyways, enjoy!**

Asken woke up in the bed of the castle. He heard the door open and saw the old man from before come in. "Good, you're awake. Breakfast is ready. Come this way.' He followed the man into a dining hall much fancier than anything he had seen before. One long table stretched the length of the room. Chairs lined it on both sides and at the heads. Golden plates were set at each place with matching forks, spoons, knives, and cups. The old man led him to a chair at the head of the table. "The master would like you to sit here." He sat down in the gilded chair and was pushed closer to the table. Another man laid food out on the table. A young woman went up to him and asked, "What would you like to eat today, honored guest?" Asken saw some bacon and bread, and pointed at them. "A good choice. Would you like some milk or water with that?" "Some water, I guess." She waved some more men over, and they served him a plateful of bacon and bread and filled his cup with water.

Asken dug in with a vengeance. Within moments, his plate was empty and his glass was dry. The servants led him to another room, this one with a large metal tub and tiled, and the men took control after this. They began undressing him and filling the tub with boiling water. "Hey! What are you doing?!" "If you are to meet the young mistress, you must be presentable." They shoved him into the water and began scrubbing him down.

(In Spongebob narrator voice) 1 hour later…

By the time he left the room, he was bright pink, smelled better than before, and wore clothing similar to his old set, but nicer and better made. They led him to yet another room, this one with a couch, a huge armchair, and more windows overlooking the garden from earlier. He sat down on the couch and waited. Soon, the doors opened again. Asken twisted his body and gasped. Aloe was standing in the doorway, wearing a delicate pink dress, with her hair up in a bun. She walked in and sat on the couch. "Aloe? Is it really you?" She looked at him. Her face was blank. Aloe suddenly glanced at him and winked. He heard the door open again and felt a chill.

Hiccup and the others gathered outside the Great Hall. "Okay, is everyone ready?" They all agreed. "Okay, then. It's time to go find Asken." "How? We have no idea where he went," Snotlout said. "Yes, we do. He said he was going toward the sunset." "But how will we know where he is? That could be anywhere! He might have gone off the edge of the world by now." "That's why we need Skullcrusher." Hiccup pulled out a piece of armor. "This is Asken's shoulder pad. He left it at the forge yesterday because he needed it fixed." He held it to Skullcrusher's nose. The dragon sniffed it and growled. "Let's go, everyone." They got on their dragons and flew off, Skullcrusher and Eret leading.

Asken felt something evil enter the room. He knew better than to turn around, especially when he felt Aloe touch his hand just when he was about to look at the ominous presence. He stared at his lap until she tapped him. Asken looked up and stared. A handsome man with dark hair and eyes was sitting in the throne-like chair. He wore a black suit with small silver designs on the collar and cuffs. "Hello, Asken. It is truly a pleasure to meet you. I am Peter Markesan, your host." His eyes glittered. "I trust you have met my ward, Aloe?" "O-of course, sir." "Please, call me Peter." "Yes, Peter." The man folded his hands on his lap. "Am I correct in assuming you are interested in her?" He blushed. "I-I think so." "Then I am so sorry about this." He stood up and pulled on a golden cord.

Immediately, armed servants rushed into the room. Asken jumped to his feet and pulled out his dagger. He had insisted on keeping it, even when the men had tried to take it away. He heard a yelp next to him and turned. Aloe was being pulled away by Peter through a second door. "Let her go!" Before he could rescue her, he was attacked by the men. He dodged all their attacks and was eventually backed into a corner. Just before she was pulled through the door, she yelled, "Remember what we talked about!" Asken's mind jolted. 'Cut above their heads. Even if you don't think you should, do it!' He nodded to himself. He jumped against the wall and over their heads, slashing with his dagger. When he landed, he whirled around. What he saw astounded him. The men had become wooden puppets. They collapsed onto the floor in a heap of wood and string. "I guess that's why he's called the Puppeteer." Asken looked at the door they had gone through.

Peter was pulling Aloe through the ballroom when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw that irritating boy. He groaned. "Not you. Didn't my puppets take care of you?" "It'll take a lot more than a few puppets to kill me." Asken assumed a battle stance. His dagger was held out before him; his only weapon a few inches of metal. Peter merely smirked. "Do you really think that can defeat me?" "It's worth a shot." He laughed a cruel, mocking laugh. "Then let's see how you do against her." He shoved Aloe at him and whispered a few words in a strange language. Her eyes became blank and soulless.

Asken had no idea what to do when he saw Aloe go into a fighting stance. He simply prepared himself for trouble. She lunged at him suddenly. He barely dodged her assault. She turned on her feet and raised her hands. A ball of cold energy formed between them. Asken swallowed in worry. He was right to wonder what she was doing when a huge ice crystal shot at him. He jumped out of the way, and just in time. Where the ice hit, a huge ball of icy spikes shot out of the ground. Some even broke off and formed smaller balls on the walls they hit. One grazed his shoulder. Asken winced as he felt cold spread from the wound.

Aloe hated it when he did this. Holding her prisoner was one thing, but controlling her was just wrong. The worst part was that she was aware of everything he made her do. When that shard of ice hit Asken, she could feel bile rising in the back of her throat. Silently, she willed him to remember what was happening. Aloe knocked him down and stood over him. She began to form another ball of ice when she saw him throw his knife.

Peter watched the battle with silent amusement. This boy was more stubborn than anything he had ever seen before. 'Maybe I can keep him for entertainment. It would be fun to see him fight my… pets.' Suddenly, he saw him on the ground, the girl over him. Peter smiled maliciously. "That's it," he muttered. "Finish him off." She was just about to kill him when the boy threw his knife. "You missed." "Did I?" He suddenly saw the knife sticking out of the wall, at just the right angle to have gone right over Aloe's head. "NOOOOO!"

Asken watched as a cut string fell down the top of Aloe's head. Her eyes turned bright, and a tear slipped down her face. "Thank you…" she whispered as she turned into a wooden doll of herself and collapsed to the floor. He crawled out from under the wooden arms and stood up. Asken turned to face Peter, who had just screamed in anger. The man glared daggers at him. "I'll kill you!" he yelled. He dashed forward than humanly possible and backhanded him. He went flying and hit the wall hard. Something clattered to the ground next to him: a shard of ice from Aloe's attack. Asken grasped it weakly and pushed himself to his feet. Peter laughed grimly. "That was a mistake, foolish boy." "Was it?" He reached above himself and swiped. "What?!" A piece of string fell onto his face. "How could you tell?!" "It was easy. If everyone else was a puppet, why couldn't I be?" He growled. "See you later." Peter disappeared and Asken slowly blacked out.

**Author's Note: How's that for a plot twist? By the way, Dreamtime is a part of Australian Aboriginal mythology, and it's supposed to be the point in time in which the world and everything in it was created. I changed it up a bit to make it somewhat more appropriate for the setting. What do you think?**


	5. Chapter 4: The Dragon's Tear

**Author's Note: This is the chapter that explains some of the weird stuff happening. Don't hate me for what I did with Asken and Hiccup.**

Asken blinked his eyes open. He saw his family looking closely at him. "D-dad? What are you doing here?" "Finding you! Come on, we're going home!" "No, dad." Hiccup stopped. "What?" "I'm not going. I nearly found her here and I'm not stopping now. She needs my help." He looked around and saw he was on the beach. "How did I get here?" His mother patted his shoulder. "We found you asleep on the beach. Windchime was curled up around you and almost wouldn't let us near you until now." The dragon looked up at the sound of his name. He gulped down the fish in his mouth and cocked his head. "What happened to the castle?" "Castle? Asken, there was no castle." Snotlout and Hookfang landed nearby. "But there was this old lady and a hut in the woods. She wouldn't talk to us. She looked older than Gothi, if that's even possible." "Take me to her."

They flew high above the island and into the dense forest. All of them landed in a clearing in the middle, right where the heart of the castle had been. A small hut was in the middle, and it looked older than anything Asken had ever seen. An old woman sat near a fire outside. She stared into the flames deeply, as if they told her everything. Asken walked up to her. "Excuse me, ma'am. Can you help me find this girl? Her name's Aloe." At this, the old woman blinked. "Aloe? Did you just say Aloe?" "Yeah… why?" "You must be the one." She beckoned him closer. He sat down next to her and she pointed to the fire.

"I have waited many years for this day." "You knew I was coming?" "Yes. Watch the fire. It will tell you everything." The flames danced and formed shapes. The first was a familiar face. "The Puppeteer was once a normal man, living his life in a small village as the librarian. One day, though, he found something." "What?" Peter changed into a thick book. "The _Book of Dragon Magic_. It told him of a way to achieve ultimate power through the use of special beings." "Special beings?" "It would be better if you saw for yourself. When he learned of this method, he changed." The book changed back into Peter, but this time, he was twisted and evil. "Peter began to listen to the Darknesse. He kidnapped several people from a village of those special beings and began using them to start the process." The fire changed into an image of two women and two familiar dragons. "Are those…?" "Partially. Listen." The four figures became small and went into a cage. "However, in order to complete the ritual, he needs them to be willing, and of course, they aren't. That's where you come in." "Huh?"

The cage turned into an image of him and Windchime. "He did not finish reading that chapter of the book to know that there is a way to stop the process. A human with the soul of a dragon can stop him and save the beings." "And… that's me?" "Yes. It is rare to see so many with the souls of dragons, but I believe that your family is special. I can tell that you are the one I've been waiting for." "Um, if you don't mind my asking, who are you?" "I am a pyromancer, one of the last in the world. I divine using flames." "I meant, what is your name?" "My name is not important. Here." She pulled something out of her beat-up robes. "This is the price for something a close friend of mine can give you." She handed it to him. Asken looked in his hand.

It was a shriveled old thing, much like the woman. "Take it to a cave south of here. You will find a woman named Matoya. She will give you something precious in return." She wrapped his fingers around it. "I must warn you, she is not what you might expect." With that, she went back to staring at the fire. Asken left her side and went to his family. He stared Hiccup straight in the eyes. "Dad, I have to find her. She needs my help. I can't let her suffer at the hands of someone like Peter." Hiccup held his shoulders. "I understand. Just come back safe." He hugged him tightly and released him. The boy smiled and got on Windchime. The rest of them got on their dragons and flew home. Asken watched as they flew away, and then left himself. The woman followed him with her eyes as he went southward. "Please, save my son…" she whispered.

Asken flew for a few days until he reached the cave the old woman had spoken of. It was set into the base of a steep mountain and guarded by nothing at all. "This sure doesn't seem like where a precious thing is kept. Oh, well. That old woman wouldn't have lied about something this serious." He got off of the Stormcutter and pointed towards the forest. Windchime shook his head and head-butted him gently. "Fine. You can come with. Just be careful, 'kay, boy?" He crooned with joy and walked into the cave with him.

Deep within the cave, there was a nice home. It was as if a house had simply sunk into the earth and been covered by rocks and soil. Magic brooms swept the floor clean of the perpetual dust all on their own. Windchime tried to bite one, but it deftly evaded him and kept brushing. They walked to the pair of doors at the end of the hall. Just before Asken touched them, they swung open. "I guess that means come in." They walked into the room and stood still with shock. An old woman, possibly older than the first, was sitting on a stool before a bubbling cauldron. She had only one eye, and it was made of some sort of magic glass. It looked at them and seemed to sparkle.

Matoya had not had guests in quite a while. Ever since that brief stint with a teleportation potion, she had never gotten to know her new neighbors. They tended to attack strange people, and she was nothing if not strange. At least her cave had come with her. That was one small comfort. This pair was stranger than that group of four heroes from a few years ago. One was little more than a boy, and the other was a dragon! They seemed nice enough, so she decided to give them a little scare. "Welcome to my cave," she said eerily. They jumped. Matoya cackled. "It's refreshing to see that I can still scare some people. So, what can I do for you?" The boy stood around awkwardly. "Come closer, boy. My eye may be magic, but it still isn't good enough to see you when you're that far away." "I-I'm sorry." He rushed forward and stood closer.

Asken had no idea what to do. She was a complete stranger, and on top of that, she spoke of magic. "Um, are you Matoya?" "If I'm not, then all my years have been lies." "I was told you could help me find someone." She looked deep into her cauldron. "Yes, I know. You do realize my services are not free." "That's what I was told. Here." He dug into his pocket, pulled out something, and handed it to Matoya. She took it eagerly. "By the crystals…" "Huh?" "I can't believe it. You must have come from Morgana." "Is that her name? She said she was a pyromancer, or something." "Then you must be trying to free Aloe and her family." "Peter kidnapped her family?!" "Yes… It is a sad state of affairs." She got up and hobbled to a bookcase nearby. Matoya reached for a particular volume and pulled. The bookcase spun around slowly and revealed a hidden niche in its back. A soft, purple cushion filled most of the tiny space, with something on top.

Matoya grabbed the thing and turned around. She held it before her. The thing in question was a necklace. A blue teardrop-shaped jewel glittered both externally and internally in the warm glow of the firelight. Smaller gems of hematite surrounded it on a silver back, which was suspended from a woven cord of blue, red, purple, and black threads. The boy took it carefully. "That is the Dragon's Tear, a powerful and ancient talisman that can be used for good or evil. It was formed from a shard of the great Water Crystal of a far off land. Treat it well, for it is your only hope to defeat the Puppeteer." She put a hand on his shoulder. "I do not know what perils await you in Peter's citadel, but they will test you to your limits. Tread carefully." "Thank you, Matoya." "You are welcome, um…" "Asken. My name is Asken." "You're welcome, Asken. Know that you are free to stay here whenever you need some magical help." She looked up suddenly. "However, at least stay the night. This region is far more dangerous at night, and I do not think you and your dragon can handle what lies in these woods." Asken accepted gratefully and Matoya led him to a bed.

**Author's Note: So, what do you think about Matoya and Morgana? I actually took Matoya from Final Fantasy (the first one, 8-bit graphics and everything) and Morgana's name from .hack. It seemed right that they would show up. This does not make my fanfic a crossover, however. They merely make a brief appearance.**


	6. Chapter 5: Snowdrop

**Chapter 5! I finally made it! What is this madness? Anyway, forget my lunacy and get back to the story, you readers, you.**

When Asken awoke, he found himself outside of the cave. He turned, but saw nothing but rock. "Why does this keep happening to me? First that fake castle, and now this cave." He felt something dig into him and pulled the offending thing out. It was the necklace. "So it wasn't a dream. Not all of it, anyway." He somehow knew that the part where Windchime had begun singing that weird song was definitely a dream; as far as he knew, dragons couldn't sing that well. The dragon looked at him curiously. "Are you ready, boy?" In response, the Stormcutter gave him a look of pure ridicule. "What am I saying, of course you're ready."

They set off at once, the rising sun beating down on them. Parts of his dream came back to him.

_He was standing in a field of flowers, a gurgling stream the only sound he could hear. A woman cleared her throat. Asken turned around and gasped. A beautiful woman dressed in pure black clothing was standing behind him. Her hair was midnight blue with tiny pinpoints of light, her eyes were the colors of Arvendale's fire, and she wore a tiara with a silver moon hanging from the center. Her skin was as pale as snow. She smiled wryly. 'Asken, listen to me. To save Aloe, you will need more than just an amulet from another world. You will need to remember this: the spell can be broken if you manage to take Aloe and her family away before the full moon. Without them, the spell will fade away and the energy produced will dissipate back into the environment.' 'How can I find them? It's not as if there are signs pointing the way to his citadel.' 'The Tear is more than just a piece of jewelry. If you focus, you can use it to find your way there. Just remember how powerful you are in Dreamtime. Peter will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.' She faded away into shadows and the dream ended._

Asken decided to follow her advice. He concentrated hard and held the Tear. Slowly, he could feel it warming up hotter than his hands. Asken opened his eyes and blinked. The jewel was sending out a line of blue light, a bit northwest of where he and Windchime were at the moment.

12 hours later…

Windchime was exhausted by the time they caught sight of the citadel. It was far larger than the castle Peter had created with his puppets. This one was the size of the mountain the Great Hall was built into. The citadel was coated in black and white stone and lined with pointed wrought iron at the top of every wall and tower. It stood on a barren island and was surrounded by a moat of fiery lava. A small forest surrounded it just inside the moat. That was where they landed, and not a moment too soon. A group of guards were just crossing the huge metal drawbridge when they set down. Both of them ducked into the shrubbery lining the pathway and watched the heavily armored men walk by. Asken realized with a jolt that they were metal puppets. "Peter isn't even bothering to disguise them. That means he isn't expecting me," he whispered to Windchime. The dragon merely panted quietly. "Sorry about the long flight, boy. How about this: you stay out here and cover our escape. You can rest up a bit before we have to leave." He crooned softly in thanks. "It's nothing, boy. Just trying to keep you healthy. Don't want you dropping off in midflight, now, do we?" He patted Windchime on the head and readied himself.

Asken decided to take the road less travelled and went through the sewer pipe leading into the moat. He trudged through the surprisingly clean metal tube and into an interior garden, much like the one from the fake castle. This one, however, was much grander and far more stunning. Flowers of every color possible bloomed everywhere, several fountains, each one more spectacular than the last, flowed with golden water, and jeweled birds sang mechanically in silver trees. He pushed the metal grate back into place and snuck into the kitchens nearby. He watched as a few puppet cooks prepared enough food to keep Berk and its dragons well fed for a year. "Who needs that much food? Peter certainly didn't look fat. Maybe there are more people here than I thought." One of the cooks looked in his direction. Fortunately, he was well-hidden behind a few sacks of vegetables, and the cook shrugged its wooden shoulders and went back to preparing a pig roast. Asken waited until nightfall before he slipped through the kitchens and into the castle proper.

Asken wandered through the vast marble halls until he found something suspicious. It was a tapestry depicting a village with dragons and people living together. What he found suspicious was that there was a white Night Fury in the picture. "That can't be right." He touched the cloth, and felt his hand go through empty space instead of touching the wall. Asken pushed the tapestry aside and found a dark tunnel leading down. He went down the damp steps, which ended at a fancy door carved with flowers and birds. "Who would put such a nice door in a place like this?" He touched it, and it gently swung open. Asken walked inside, filled with unease.

He was definitely not prepared for what awaited him beyond that door. A finely furnished room was lit by a roaring fire. Soft couches and pretty paintings decorated the large room, and two heavily barred doors led off into different rooms. He went up to the closest one, and heard heavy breathing. Asken struggled to push up the heavy metal bar across the door, and finally succeeded. He dumped it on the floor and pushed the door open. Inside was an even bigger shock. Aloe was shackled to the floor and wall. Her chains were long enough to give her room to walk around, but not enough to let her get out. Or touch the other being in the room. Asken gasped at this creature. It was a pure white Night Fury with streaks of black down its back. Light blue eyes watched him with intelligence. "Uh, Aloe? What's with the Night Fury?" She looked up at him. "Asken! You're here!" She went as far as her chains would let her. He closed the distance and held her close. "I knew you were real." "Of course I am." She let go and backed away. "And I'd like you to meet my sister, Snowdrop." Aloe waved a hand at the chained and muzzled Night Fury. It crooned at him in greeting. Asken waved hesitantly. "Wait, sister?" She sighed.

"Asken, you've probably been able to tell, but I am not exactly normal. I am what is called a dragon skin." "Dragon skin?" "We're able to… well, let me show you." She held out her shackles, and he unlocked them with a key he found on the wall. Aloe took it from him and unlocked the muzzle and chains on Snowdrop. "Watch this." The white Fury sat on its hind legs and she backed into it. Instead of hitting it, however, she melted into it with a small white glow. Snowdrop got onto all fours and looked at him. "We are able to merge with our dragon siblings into one being. Think of it as us being two halves of the same whole," she said, Aloe's voice coming out of Snowdrop's mouth. "H-how?" "My mom said that it was because of dragon magic. In a small corner of the archipelago, a tiny bit of magic got into the drinking water of a dragon and a human, and my kind was born. I'm still human, and Snowdrop's still a Snow Fury, but we can do things only dragon skins can do."

Snowdrop sat up again and Aloe came out with another white glow. She looked at him while she stroked Snowdrop's nose. "I have to admit, it hasn't been easy being a dragon skin, especially when you live in a village under constant threat from outsiders." "We can save them later. Right now, we gotta get you out of here." They went out the door, but Aloe pulled on his hand. "Wait. Not without my mother." "Peter kidnapped your mom?" "Yeah." Her eyes began to mist. "And he did something terrible to her." She pushed the bar on the other door up and off and opened it.

Inside was a woman with pure black hair and yellow-green eyes. Her face was expressionless. "What did he do to her?" "Killed her other half. When a dragon skin's other half dies before their time, the survivor feels immense pain. Usually, they either go insane from grief or simply lose contact with the outside world." "Before their time?" "Dragon skins always die at the same time as their partner, unless one is murdered or dies on accident." "But Peter killed her other half." "Exactly." "What was her other half?" "A Night Fury." Something popped into his head. "That's why you seemed so familiar!" "What?" "When we first met in Dreamtime! You reminded me of something with the way you acted. I just remembered that you reminded me of my father's Night Fury, Toothless." "Well, dragon skins share some characteristics with their dragon halves, and vice versa. You'll notice that Snowdrop acts more like a human than a Snow Fury." "A what now?" "Snow Fury. They're a special kind of Night Fury that's rarely born. Snow Furies are able to breathe ice crystals instead of plasma blasts. They're also found in really cold, snowy areas." "Like Berk?" "Much colder. I'm talking about places that always have snow." "I see." He went over to the woman and unlocked her chains. "Come on, ma'am. We're getting you guys out of here." The woman looked at him. Something within her clicked and she got up shakily. This boy reminded her of Belladonna, her other half. The woman leaned on him for support, but was soon able to stand on her own.

They snuck out of the dungeon and towards the gardens. Before they could go more than a few steps, however, they could hear an unearthly wail fill the air. Aloe clutched her head. "What is that?! A banshee?" Her mother sighed and shook her head slowly. "No. It's the alarm. Peter knows we've escaped." In fact, it was actually because of Windchime that the alarm had gone off. A group of guards had found him in the thin forest near the castle and were chasing him around the castle grounds. He had gotten tired of waiting for Asken and had tried to sneak to the same place he had gotten in, and the guards had seen him trying to wiggle his body through the undergrowth. Due to this, security measures within the citadel ended up blocking their escape route.

**End of the fifth chapter! Nearly done. Just a few more left to tackle. See ya, readers from almost every continent on earth. And who knows? Maybe a scientist on Antarctica will get really bored and read this.**


	7. Chapter 6: Final Battle

**Ominous title, I know. But wait, it gets better, really! I promise! As always, reviews are welcome, if you want to bother.**

Peter was sleeping in his luxurious bed when the alarm went off. He flung the velvet and silk bedclothes off of him and pulled on his special robe. Instantly, he was garbed in a magical armor that protected him from almost any attack. Peter dashed out of his room and through the cold halls to the special tapestry. He pulled it aside and went down.

Asken, Aloe, Snowdrop, and Aloe's mother were nearly to the kitchens when the metal grille slammed into the ground in front of them. Another fell behind them, effectively trapping them. "What do we do now?" Aloe said. She had wanted her family to be rescued, but that seemed to be fading away with every setback that happened. Her mother simply went over to another tapestry and pulled it aside, revealing yet another secret passage. "How many does this place have?" Asken asked. She shrugged. He led the way into the damp tunnel, with Aloe bringing up the rear. Thoughts buzzed through her head, especially one in particular. 'How did she know that was there? Has she been here before?"

Peter felt something draw him toward the magnificent ballroom. He stalked through the halls in search of his missing prisoners, and finally ended up in the huge room. Three crystal chandeliers glittered in the light of the hundreds of candles placed upon them. A mosaic floor of multicolored agate depicted a scene of pastoral serenity; sheep grazed, cows lowed, and fields of wheat gleamed gold. Around the borders of the scene were depictions of every species of dragon. Some were well known to the Vikings, while others lived in far off lands. He stood in the middle of the scene, where a golden sun and silver moon circled one another, marking the circle of life. He heard quiet footsteps and turned.

Asken stumbled to a halt when he saw who was in the room the passageway led them to. It was Peter, the one man they had to avoid. The vile man looked at them with contempt. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my three most favorite people in the world. Well, four if you count the dragon." He took a good look at their ragtag team. "Well, Orchid, it's nice to see you up and about. Last I saw, you were wasting away from misery about your dragon sister." Aloe's mother started. Something about his voice was familiar, and inspired a sense of fear, hate, and… disappointment? Her mind had been clouded by grief, and she couldn't pinpoint the source of these feelings.

Peter glared at the young upstart who had dared to try to interfere with his plans. How could such a puny boy understand what he had gone through? No matter. "I think it's time you all met a friend of mine," he drawled. Peter formed the summoning gesture for a very powerful creature: a pure black dragon. It was huge, nearly filling the massive ballroom with its giant body. Glowing red eyes stared out of its solid black body. It seemed to be made of pure darkness, for all the light that hit it was simply absorbed. It was similar to the Red Death, but slightly smaller and far more malicious. Its hateful eyes sought out Asken, and locked on. It shot a huge, black flame at him, and it was only Snowdrop's quick intervention that saved him. A blast of icy energy countered the dark fire and protected the boy.

Asken nearly met his grandfather that day. If Snowdrop hadn't saved him from the roiling mass of blazing death… He shuddered. He could hear Aloe's mother, Orchid, breathing heavily. Asken glanced at her and stared. Her face was a mask of pure terror. "What's wrong?" She turned her head slightly. "That dragon… is a Dark Leviathan. I have only seen one before…" Orchid stared at him intensely. "This proves it. I know why he's doing this." "Why?" She ignored him and began walking around the room slowly.

Aloe and Snowdrop were busy protecting her mother and Asken from Peter's dragon's attacks. Fortunately, Snowdrop could reload by breathing in the water vapor, so after six shots, she could still fire. Finally, Peter himself stepped forward. "You have done well. I wasn't expecting you to be able to ward off Yami's dark fire blasts." "Thanks… I think." Peter smirked. "It'll be a shame to kill you." He began to shudder, and the dragon began entering his body. Its massive form shrank and merged with his body. Aloe stared at him in shock when it finished and his eyes changed from blue to red.

Peter had never thought these two would give him so much trouble. 'They really don't know what they're up against, do they?' he thought grimly. 'Oh, well. Time to end this battle.' When Yami merged with him, he felt the usual shudder of power flow into him and make him far more deadly. His eyesight became tinted red and he watched Aloe's face turn white with fear and shock. "You weren't expecting this? That a fellow dragon skin would be the one to kidnap you and kill your mother's dragon half? Then you are a fool. The spell only works on dragon skins, and even then, you can only use family." Realization dawned on her. "Y-you mean… you're related to me?" "Give the girl a prize!"

Aloe hadn't expected Peter to be a dragon skin, least of all her father! The thought of that monster being related to her made her shiver with revulsion. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she nearly missed his attack building up. A glow of crimson caught her eye, and she saw a ball of black flame, outlined in dark red, forming between his hands. Aloe dodged his attack, which instead hit a pillar of white stone behind her. The explosion knocked her off her feet, and she hit the ground. She looked up to see Peter standing over her, another blast in his hands. "Goodbye, Aloe. It really is a shame that you must die." He was about to throw it when they both heard a woman yell, "Stop, Peter!"

Orchid had no idea what she was doing when she got Peter's attention. All she knew was that her child was about to be hurt, and she didn't want that. The vile man's attention on her, she began running around the room. Fireballs followed her path and left a trail of destruction. No one noticed the window she had left open. No one, that is, except a certain dragon.

Asken had no idea what to do. The girl he loved was fighting her father, her mother was trying not to get killed, and he was just standing around. An idea popped into his head. Asken put two fingers to his mouth and whistled. Moments later, a green Stormcutter flew in through the open window and landed next to him. "Hey, there, Windchime. Let's kick some butt." The dragon crooned in agreement and Asken got on. They began flying around the room, breathing fire and distracting Peter.

With Asken's help, her mother's distractions, and her own attacks, Aloe and Snowdrop soon dropped Peter. He lay on the floor, groaning, and they landed. Snowdrop created an ice ball and she broke off one of the shards. She held it to his throat. He looked up at her, and his eyes were blue again. "Please… Do it," he whispered. "What?" "Kill me. Now, while Yami is inside of me." "Why?" "It'll protect you and your mother from his wrath when he finds out what I'm doing. I…" Peter coughed for a few moments, "I am sorry for what he made me do to you and your mother. The whole reason I did those things was because he was controlling me. All he wanted was ultimate power, but he couldn't get that on his own. Hurry! He's nearly back." Indeed, his eyes were shifting between blue and red. Asken and her mother went up to her. "Aloe, if you do this…" "I know. I'll have his blood on my hands for the rest of my life. But if I don't… Belladonna won't be avenged, and Peter will kill us." Her mother took the decision out of her hands. Orchid took another ice shard and stabbed him through the heart.

Asken stared in horror at the sight of Peter's blood. It was red mixed with black, like blood and tar had both run through his veins. It formed a dark puddle around his body. The five of them began walking back to the door. The alarm had stopped sometime during the fight, so they could get out. Asken helped Orchid to the door. They were steps away from freedom when they felt the earth shake. Slowly, they turned around, already knowing that their battle was far from over. Where Peter's body had lay, the dark dragon called Yami was rising. It formed from his blood, which was the only sign that he had been there, Peter's body having disappeared moments ago. Yami glared at them, even more hat and rage in his crimson eyes.

When Peter had died, Yami knew that now was his chance to destroy his mistress's enemies. He used a skill only a few dragon skins could do, and revived himself from their shared blood. He caught sight of the five who had killed Peter and glared. His mighty roar shook the citadel and caused some pieces of the ceiling to fall and shatter on the floor. Yami inhaled, and a column of black fire shot toward his assailants. He smelled the air, but could not detect the stench of roasting bodies. His gaze swiveled around the crumbling room and saw them preparing to attack him. He snorted in derision. "Foolish creatures," he growled. "It is futile to resist. Just give yourselves up and I may be merciful." In response, the girl and the Snow Fury merged and the boy got on the young hatchling. The woman Peter had been so attached to hid behind a fallen pillar from an earlier attack. Yami shook his head. "So be it." He readied another blast of dark fire.

Asken hadn't planned to defeat the Dark Leviathan in Dreamtime. It simply happened. He, Windchime, and the combined Aloe and Snowdrop, were caught up in the next blast of dark fire and sent to an arena of shiny black stone and sharp rusty pieces of metal. Yami also came with them, his huge body barely taking up any of the giant arena. A flash of blue light hit the throne at the head of the arena, and the woman from his dream was sitting in the black stone chair. Her eyes glittered coldly at them. "I told you to take them away, Asken. Now they are in the domain of Nightmare." Next to her, another chair, this one more elaborate and covered in gruesome carvings, was empty. But not for long. Another woman, this one garbed in blood-soaked armor and black clothing, was sitting in it. She had long, tangled black hair with bones tied in. Blood smeared her face, and icy blue eyes, colder than a Snow Fury's breath, stared at them. She stood up and clapped her bloody hands, saying, "Let the games begin!"

This was mostly Asken's fight. Aloe and Snowdrop were caged in a magical box of pure darkness, so they couldn't do much. He swallowed the fear he felt and prepared for Yami's first attack. Asken remembered that they were in Dreamtime, so he decided to even the odds a bit. A powerful sword, shinier than Gronkle iron and twice as strong, appeared in his hands. Windchime was coated in lightweight, strong armor of the same material. He got on and they went airborne. The Dark Leviathan glared at them and began to breathe a long column of his signature black fire. They easily dodged it and went in for a swipe at its head. Yami shrugged it off and roared. Asken looked up and saw that the airspace above them was clear. 'Time to repeat history,' he thought grimly. "Come on, boy. Let's take him out for real." They flew straight up, the evil dragon close behind. Dark clouds that smelled of smoke and death and fear rushed past them and surrounded the three of them.

Aloe watched as they flew into the miasma above the arena. Snowdrop repeatedly tried to break the bars, but they remained as solid as ever. Minutes passed, with bright flashes of lightning illuminating the darkness every so often. Worry began to gnaw at her, until she saw Windchime and Asken diving from the clouds straight at the arena. Yami was right behind them, his wings filled with giant holes and his mouth flaming. He crashed into the hard stone and began to explode. Aloe watched with bated breath as the two of them dodged its sharp black spines and cleared its tail. They landed nearby after the flames died down. The cage surrounding her and Snowdrop disappeared, and she ran up to him and hugged him. He held her tightly, and then looked at Nightmare and the other woman.

Asken glared at the pair of women in the stands. Nightmare watched him, her face a blank slate, while the other was obviously pleased. The latter stood up and clapped happily. "Winner: Asken Alkaset Haddock II. Congratulations!" Aloe got a good look at her. "It's you!" she cried. "Yes, Aloe, it's me." "You know her?" "She's the friend I told you about. Asken, this is Nocturna. She's the one who taught me about Dreamtime." "And I am glad I did so. Otherwise Yami would have realized his dream of ruling the world." Nocturna looked at Nightmare. "What? Do you want to continue this discussion somewhere else?" "That would be preferable, yes." "All right, don't get so worked up." The arena faded away and they were in the meadow that Asken and Nocturna first met.

**I'm not even bothering to say that this is an author's note anymore. I'm just lazy. See ya next time!**


	8. Epilogue: Coming Home

**I'm not bothering to write about how they got back or what happened in the meadow. I'll leave it to your imagination, if you have any. Now, on to the final chapter!**

Hiccup and Astrid watched the western skies for any sign of Asken. Their other two children were playing around the stables, with Valka and Gobber watching them to make sure they didn't cause too much trouble. Astrid put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. Asken will be fine. After all, he's the son of the hero of Berk. He's bound to have picked some of that up." "I hope so. It's just, I can't help but feel that he's gonna bite off more than he can chew. He's just like me at that age." They heard wing beats and a boy yell, "Is that so? Did you find the girl of your dreams at this age?" The two of them looked up and saw Asken riding Windchime. Next to them was a white Night Fury, with a woman on its back. "Uh, Asken, if that's the woman of your dreams…" They landed, and Asken saw why they were confused. "No, no. This is her mother, Orchid." He got off and went over to them. He helped Orchid off and patted Snowdrop's head. "This is her." "Asken, please tell me you haven't fallen in love with a dragon," Hiccup said. "This family is crazy enough as it is." "No, you don't understand. Watch." The now Fury sat on her hind legs and her belly began to glow. Aloe came out, and smiled at them. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Haddock." Hiccup and Astrid just stared at her.

It was dinnertime in the Great Hall. Asken and Aloe were being crowded by excited Vikings who wanted to hear more about their adventures together. Asken had just finished a tale from their trip back when the huge doors opened. Morgana slowly walked toward them. They both bowed low, and the others followed suit. She tapped them on their heads, and they rose. "Morgana, how did you get here?" "Fire doesn't always destroy," she said cryptically. "Now, you have the Dragon's Tear, correct?" "Yeah." Asken pulled it out. "There is one more thing you have to do. Is your family here?" "Yes, they're over there." He waved them over. "Good. Is Orchid here?" Said woman came over. "Here I am, Morgana." "Good, good. Now, Asken, place the necklace around Aloe's neck." He lifted it, placed it over her head, and it settled against her nicely. "Like that?" "Yes. Now, repeat after me. I do hereby vow…" "I do hereby vow…" "To protect and honor this woman…" "To protect and honor this woman…" "Till death parts us." "Till death parts us." She smiled. "There we go. Now, your turn, Aloe. Repeat after me. I do hereby vow…" "I do hereby vow…" "To support and honor this man…" "To support and honor this man…" "Till death parts us." "Till death parts us." Orchid gasped. "What is it, mom?" She ignored her daughter and looked at Morgana. "Did you really have to do that? Now they're married and can't enjoy the freedom of being single."

Hiccup and Astrid really didn't know what to say to Orchid's comment. Asken and Aloe both jumped to their feet. "What do you mean, married?! How could we get married?" Morgana simply laughed mischievously. "Those were the traditional wedding vows of the dragon skins' village. You can't take them back, you're stuck together. Plus…" and her eyes twinkled. "This will improve relations between them and outsiders. And, I've always wanted great-grandchildren." Asken stared at her. "What does you wanting great-grandchildren have to do with… Oh!" Orchid nodded. "Morgana was Peter's mother, which makes her your grandmother, Aloe." They both simply sat down in shock.

Orchid and Morgana walked outside. A smallish grey dragon was waiting near the fish troughs. "Do you really have to go, Morgana? You can stay with me and Aloe. I'm sure she wouldn't mind." "I do have to go. The village needs me." "Okay, but promise you will come visit." "I promise." She merged with the dragon and flew off. She heard the noise from the Great Hall increase, then decrease. Orchid turned around and saw Aloe and Asken staring at the shrinking form of the dragon. They were both wide-eyed with shock. They looked at each other, and then blushed intensely.

Years later, Aloe laid an egg. From it came a beautiful baby boy and a baby Night Fury. They named him Stoick Peter Haddock, and he would become a great chief, just like the men before him.

The End… for now… *Evil laughter from the author*

**Maybe I'll continue their story some other time. Maybe... In the meantime, I plan on posting my first Jak and Daxter fanfic soon! Keep an eye out for Blue Eyes, volume one of the trilogy. Wild Cat 214, out! *Salutes and flies off to write some more***


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